Octatube

Celebrating the 75th birthday of Octatube founder Mick Eekhout. A perfect moment to reflect on some of Octatube's remarkable early projects and to take pride in how Octatube has evolved into a leading design & build company since. Mick Eekhout founded Octatube with the belief that "can't" does not exist. Struggling to find others parties who could or dared to build his specialised spaceframe structures, he brought design, testing, development, production, and construction under one roof to make the impossible possible. This ‘can do’ mentality and passion for complex and challenging architecture still run as a common thread through our company. Octatube's timeline includes over 1,000 bespoke, complex projects requiring different perspectives about the constructive application of materials such as steel, aluminum, glass, composite, cardboard and wood. The bigger the challenge, the better. Since 2006, sons Nils and Max have led Octatube, keeping it a family business based in Delft. Naturally, they put their own spin on it, guiding the company to adapt to changing times. Together, the Octa team is taking on larger and more challenging projects. But one thing is certain: our goal remains to make the impossible possible. Ready for realizing challenging architecture. Cheers on your birthday Mick! ?? The video contains just a small selection of all the projects Mick realised with Octatube. Check out our website for more. Or see Mick's website for his complete portfolio: www.mickeekhout.nl #HappyBirthday #Octatube #Innovation #DesignBuild #ProudHistory #ConstructionExcellence #InnovativeDesign #FamilyBusiness

Octatube focuses on the efficient and responsible use of resources by using as little material as possible and ensuring a minimal amount of residual material and waste. By comprehensive modelling all the necessary components for a project, we can precisely determine how much material we need and procure them with maximum efficiency form standard purchase lengths. This results in minimal residual lengths. We do not simply dispose of these residual lengths; only those deemed truly unusable for future projects are discarded. #BCorpMonth is all about the B Corp? community — a generation of people using business as a force for good across industries, regions and cultures. Being part of #GenB means acting for change. #BTheChange #PositiveImpact #GenB #BusinessForGood #BCorp

Our Octatube Services Team is dedicated to upkeep architectural structures to remain pristine and functional. They are for instance responsible for the maintenance of the undulating glass roof of the Mirror Hall and the glass second skin facade of the Bernoulliborg at the University of Groningen. The wavy roof of the Mirror Hall in the Academy Building features angled square glass panels supported by a structure of elliptical steel tubes. Safety measures, including fall protection, are essential to access this roof for maintenance. Octatube Serveces inspects gutters, checks sealants, and cleans the glass. They previously conducted repair work on the glass second skin fa?ade of the Bernoulliborg, an educational building, replacing all the under rubbers. Thanks to their rope-access techniques, they are able to reach all parts of this fa?ade. Get in touch with our Services team: https://lnkd.in/djv-WsKv #BuildingMaintenance #GlassFa?ade #RopeAccess #SafetyFirst #FacadeCleaning #ConstructionServices

A towering 12-meter-high glass box balances beautifully next to the bespoke cast iron fa?ade that complements the historical features and colours of the monumental building in the middle. Octatube realised the challenging architecture of the fa?ade of the Tottenham Hotspur Experience in London (UK), in close harmony with architect Populous and consultant Buro Happold The overwhelmingly transparent glass box with a massive LED screen suspending within, consists of 12x2 meter laminated glass panels glued with silicone to continuous glass beams of 12 metres. The panels have structural interlayers to enhance their post-breakage behaviour and increase their flexural capacity. The glass beams in the roof provide the necessary force transfer between the beams and the glass roof panels. The use of minimal stainless steel elements at the top of the glass fins allows for the transparency. The Tottenham Hotspur Experience is a remarkable gateway to the stadium, blending history, community, innovation and cutting-edge design. The building houses a large retail space, a museum, a 100-seat atrium and a rooftop café. Read more about this fascinating project: https://lnkd.in/eKzCBimj #WarmingtonHouse #TottenhamHotspurExperience #GlassDesign #CastIronFa?ade #HistorcLandmark #FacadeDesign #StructuralEngineering #GlassEngineering #LondonArchitecture

Doing more with less. Octatube is dedicated to minimising the use of materials, energy and transport, and the amount of waste in our projects. Not only to make designs financially attractive, but more importantly to minimise the impact on the environment. Our inhouse developed CO2 calculation tool helps us track down how much a project will emit. It gives our engineers data about the CO2 levels of possible design variants, allowing to devise smart and efficient solutions without compromising on quality or design. We are continuously improving this tool. We share our sustainability learnings during the design and build process within the company and with our client teams, enabling informed, sustainable and responsible choices together. We believe that by understanding our impact as a company, by managing resources and by collaborating with various stakeholders, we can create a sustainable environment in which both current and future generations can do what they want to do most. Including realising challenging architecture. This #BCorpMonth, we’re celebrating the actions we proudly took to be a Certified B Corporation?: a company that demonstrates positive social and environmental impact. We’re part of a generation of people using business to make a better tomorrow a reality today. #OverAndOut #BTheChange #PositiveImpact #SocialImpact #BusinessForGood #BCorp #GenB #SDG11 #SDG12 #PositiveImpact

An expressive flower shaped skylight completes the remarkable mirror-polished roof of the OWO Pavilion in London. This bespoke modular skylight is meticulously preassembled in our workshop to meet the tight tolerances, serving both as the central structural element and delicate architectural feature. We crafted the steel frame with millimetre precision. The unique shapes required manual welding and polishing. The steel frame is topped with insulating glass and stainless steel cladding. We lifted the skylight into the roof structure in a single hoist and fitted perfectly. Subsequently, we proceeded with the placement of the 3D panels on the roof structure. With high precision, careful attention to detail, and the use of custom-made templates and fixtures, we ensured that the 3D panels were perfectly aligned during installation. The skylight floods the restaurant within the pavilion with natural light, creating a pleasant and energy-efficient environment space. The pavilion revitalizes the Courtyard of the Grade II-listed Old Ware Office (OWO) which has been converted into a hotel and residences. Read more about this award winning project: https://lnkd.in/eer-eMBd DaeWha Kang Design | Arup | Veratio B.V. RVS specialist | JM VAN DELFT & ZN | Fielitz GmbH #SkylightDesign #LondonArchitecture #ArchitecturalDetail #NaturalLight #OWOPavilion #StructuralEngineering #PrecisionWelding #OldMeetsNew #SustainableDesign ?? Kyungsub Shin Studio and Octatube

As a B Corp? we thrive for real impact on people. We believe that sharing knowledge, inspiring each other, and being committed to continuous learning are key to innovation and growth. As the qualities and skills of our team determine the quality and success of our projects. Organising lunch presentations for sharing insights, discussing challenges within projects and exploring new ideas. Joining in conferences as participants or speakers. Providing opportunities for students to work, research, learn and develop their talents. Setting personal growth goals and coaching each other in reaching them. Offering each other feedback on improvement chances. It keeps us on top of things. We highly value each other’s expertise and have developed a collaborative, holacratic working approach that reflects this. We want to create a culture where everyone can always learn and grow. Developing (new) talent, knowledge and skills is an important part of our Octa DNA. Octatube is committed to make a positive impact on all Octans, our environment and our community. We combine business success and profitability with impactful entrepreneurship, sustainability and social innovation, raising the standards for business and showing a better way forward. Our B Corp? certification demonstrates this. Being a B Corp? is just the beginning! We’re proud to be just one of the many B Corps moving business towards a better future. And when we join forces with the other B Corps, we create the #GenB movement. #BCorpMonth

The iconic Channel 4 building in London is one of the few of its kind around the world. It reflects an era of ‘design by testing’, pushing boundaries that defined engineering excellence. The result was a highly engineered 20-meter-high curved curtain wall fa?ade, that combines ground breaking features such as suspended glass panels, shock-absorbing suspension springs and a pre-tensioned cable net fixed to an ingenious steel crown. After twenty-five years, the fa?ade was showing its age and needed care and attention. Octatube joined forces with Arup to preserve the high-tech appearance of the distinctive Grade II- listed fa?ade while updating it to meet modern (safety) standards. By reusing the existing cable structure, a minimal carbon approach was achieved. This project demonstrated that refurbishing complex architecture with minimal modifications to the original design and with sustainability as unique project driver, is challenging but feasible. This approach ensures the longevity and continued relevance of iconic structures, like the Channel 4 Television Headquarters. The refurbishment of the Channel 4 fa?ade received international recognition by winning two SFE Fa?ade 2024 Design and Engineering Awards and being shortlisted for the Structure Award 2024. During the Glass Forum 2025 (19th March) organised by TU Delft, Octatube (Peter van de Rotten en Marina Guidi) will deliver a key note about the fascinating refurbishment process and its challenges. Read more: https://lnkd.in/eKMdCMT2 Arup | Epiphany | Wheelers | Channel 4 | Cornelius UK Ltd Photo: Hufton + Crow #EngineeringExcellence #Fa?adeDesign #RichardRogers #StructuralEngineering #RefurbishmentProject #HighTechFa?ade #StructuralAssessments #CarbonFootprint #ArchitecturalHeritage #SustainableDesign #EngineeringInnovation

Happy to join the B Corp month! Being a Certified B Corporation? (since 2020) means we’ve met an ambitious set of business standards that are better for people and the planet. We are always looking for ways to improve our impact and every action adds up. By understanding our impact as a company, by managing resources and by collaborating with various stakeholders, we can create a sustainable environment in which both current and future generations can do what they want to do most. Including realising challenging architecture. We believe there’s a better path to a better world —one of action and purpose, inspiration and community. This movement is powered by an emerging generation of people using business as a force for good. #GenB. This #BCorpMonth, we’re celebrating our work alongside thousands of other B Corps around the world. Check out our collective impact and learn how to support — or become! — a B Corp by following the hashtag #GenB. Forward! We’re proud to be just one of the many B Corps moving business towards a better future. #BusinessForGood #BCorp #BCorpmonth

#ThrowbackThursday – In 2018, the first large structure with structural glass in the Netherlands - the Glass Music Hall – was relocated to the LocHal in Tilburg (NL). The hall was originally designed in 1990 to be fully dismantled and rebuilt elsewhere. The Glass Music Hall was built for the Netherlands Philharmonic Orchestra in the Beurs van Berlage (Amsterdam, NL). It features round steel hollow sections, a steel spaceframe roof, and vertical tensile trusses stabilizing the glass panels. Designed as a concert hall with high acoustic standards, it reduces surrounding noise and uses absorbent panels, acrylic domes, and polyester sails to ensure excellent acoustics. When the orchestra left the Beurs van Berlage in 2014, the hall was dismantled. The municipality of Tilburg purchased and repurposed it as part of the large-scale renovation of the industrial LocHal. In keeping with the circular design of the LocHal, it was only fitting that the LocHal became the Glass Hall’s new home. In 2018, Octatube Services rebuild the Glass Hall in the LocHal, preserving the timeless design, quality and sustainability and upgraded it to current (safety) standards. It is a beautiful early example of circularity in construction. Read more about Rebuilding the Glass Hall: https://lnkd.in/ejrmviaR #GlassMusicHall #Tilburg #SustainableArchitecture #AcousticDesign #NetherlandsArchitecture #LocHalTilburg